This blog is meant to display my coins/currency notes/stamps, in an informative manner, which would be useful to users in knowing about the history of the period when these coins/banknotes/stamps were minted/printed and events/persons they honour/depict, both on Indian and foreign coins/banknotes/stamps. The content would be more in the nature of a walk down memory lane through my collection/articles.

ForPart I of the Post on Peru titled “338) Currency of Peru: Nuevo Sol (Sun) and
Centavo: (Part I): (i) About Peru (ii)
History-Brief recap (ii) Creation of Spanish mints in Peru (iii) Independence
of Peru (iv) Experiments with currencies, including short-lived ones (v)
Establishment of the Central Bank of Peru, link to which is as follows: Currency of Peru (Part I)

(For Part II of the Post on :"339) Currency of Peru:
Nuevo Sol (Sun) and Centavo: (Part II): (i) Coins of the Nuevo Sol (ii)
Coat of Arms of Peru (iii) Commemorative Coins: Numismatic Series on
Natural Resources of Peru (iii) Commemorative Coins: Numismatic Series
on “Wealth and Pride of Peru” (iv) Banknotes of the Nuevo Sol (Brief
Review), please click on the following link:
Please click here )

(For Part III of the Post on: " 340) Currency of
Peru: Nuevo Sol (Sun) and Centavo (Part III): (i) Presently Circulating
Banknotes, including descriptions of the famous Personalities and (ii)
the Enigma of Ancient Heritage Cities/Cultures of Peru which feature on
the Banknotes iii) The ancient communication systems of the Incas down
the generations:(Please click here)

Coins
of the Nuevo Sol:

In 1991, the
presently circulating coins were introduced in the denominations of 1, 5, 10,
20 and 50 cents and 1 Nuevo Sol.

In 1994, 2 and 5
Nuevo Sol coins were circulated.

In 2005, a 1 Cent
(Aluminium) coin was circulated.

In 2007, a 5 Cent
coin was issued.

On 01.05.2011, 1 Cent coins were taken out of circulation because they had fallen into
disuse.

On the Obverse, all the coins (i.e. 5,
10, 20 and 50 Centimos and 1, 2 and 5 Nuevo Soles) depict the Coat of Arms of Peru, surrounded
by the name of the issuing Bank “Banco
Centrale de Reserva del Peru” (meaning “Central Reserve Bank of Peru”).

On the Reverse, all coins show the
denomination except for the Bi-metallic 2 and 5 Nuevo Sol coins, which
also show the hummingbird and condor figures from the “Nazca Lines”.

Nazca Lines – Hummingbird

Nazca Lines – Condor

Nazca
Lines: The Nazca Lines are a series of ancient geoglyphs
located in the Nazca Desert in Southern Peru. They were designated as a UNESCO
World Heritage Site in 1994. The lines contain hundreds of individual figures
ranging from simple to complex lines to stylised hummingbirds, spiders,
monkeys, fish, sharks, orcas and lizards. Hundreds of them are simple lines or
geometric shapes. There are more than 70 zoomorphic designs of birds, fish,
llamas, jaguars, monkeys and human figures etc. There are also designs of
phytomorphic shapes, such as trees and flowers.

Nazca monkey

Nazca spider

Due to the dry, windless
and stable climate of the plateau, the lines have been naturally preserved. It
is not clear as to why the lines were made except that they are probably of
religious significance. Also the lines and figures can be seen only when one of
airborne above them or from the surrounding foothills, lending credence to a
theory that they were made for celestial beings to see them from space.

As
on 15.12.2015, the Currency which was called “Nuevo Sol” has been named
“Sol”. This is, because the users are already familiar with the designs and
usage of the Nuevo Sol currency. As such it has been decided by the government
to drop the term Nuevo from the Banknotes and coinage.

During the period of
transition from “Nuevo Sol” to its general acceptance as “Sol”, both terms are
being used parallely to address Peruvian currency, however from 2017 onwards only
the term “Sol” would be in vogue/use.

Banknotes
and Coins denoted in “Nuevo Soles” would however, continue to be accepted as
legal tender, till users get familiar with the “Sol” denominated currency and
the Central Reserve Bank of Peru decides on a date of demonetisation of the
“Nuevo Sol”.

Coat
of Arms or Emblem of Peru:

Coat of Arms of Peru

Armiger:
Republic of Peru

Adopted
on: 25.02.1825

Crest:
Holm Oak Civic Crown (These represent victory and glory).

Escutcheon:
Per Fess (Military belt or girdle of honour), the first per plate azure (blue)
and argent (silver) in dexter (on the left side) a vicuna (one of the
two wild South American camelids found in the Andes of Southern Peru, which is
also the National Animal of Peru) counter-statant proper and in the sinister
(on the right side) a cinchona tree (the source of quinine, a powerful
anti-malarial drug and the key flavorant in tonic water) also proper, the
second gules (red), a Cornucopia (symbolising Bounty of Nature) spilling
coins Or (yellow or gold – with the Cornucopia representing the mineral resources
of the country).

Supporters: Two
National Flags of Peru and two standards on each side.

Dropping
from the standards on both sides are symbolic “Quipu” or “Khipu” threads
which represent an ancient Inca method for recording information, consisting of
variously coloured threads knotted in different ways. In the absence of written
records, the “Quipus” served as a
means of recording history and passed on to the next generation, which used
them as reminders of past events and stories.

These messages included
information about resources in storehouses, taxes, census information, output
of mines or the composition of work forces. Even poems and legends were
composed and preserved on the Quipus. As
such these functioned as “primitive computers” and had knotted in them the
information which tied together the Inca Empire down the generations.)

Other
elements: When used on the National Flag, the Coat
of Arms (Escudo de Armas) is
surrounded by a wreath of palm branch one on the right tied by a red and white
ribbon.

Escudo de Armas

Commemorative
Coins:

In 1965, a series
of commemorative 1 Nuevo Sol coins
was issued celebrating the quater-centenary (400 years) of the Lima Mint, with
the Reverse reproducing a
coin minted in 1565.

Some
other prominent Series have been:

Numismatic
Series on “Natural Resources of Peru” – coins on the Reverse:

Anchoveta:

Depicting the designs of two
anchovies (Engraulis ringens), together with an iconographic representation
of anchovy fishing which were known from Moche Culture times

Cacao:

Depicting a Cacao Tree
(Theobroma cacao), together with an expanded design of the Cacao fruit

Quinua:

Depicting a panicle of Quinua
(Chenopodium quinoa) and a pot from which abundant quinoa grain is pouring out

On the Obverses are seen the National Coat of arms, the
inscription “Banco Central de Reserva
del Peru” and the year of
minting.

Numismatic
Series on “Wealth and Pride of Peru” – coins on the
Reverse:

Archaeological
Site Cabeza de Vaca - Tumbes:

Depicting a “Cow Head”
(or “Cabeza de Vaca”) made from adobe and stone

Vicus
Pottery - Piura:

Depicting a composition of
two “Vicus pottery pieces” representing a duck and a deer

Huarautambo
– Pasco:

Rop
huarautambo

Depicting a composition of
a water fountain and an Inca bridge located at the Archaeological Site of
Huarautambo in Pasco

Moquegua
Architecture – Moquegua:

Depicting an intersection of cobblestone
streets lined by houses with the triangular or trapezoidal gable roofs
distinctive of Moquequa Architecture

The
Pusharo Petroglyphs – Madre de Dios:

Depicting some of the most
representative petroglyphs or rock engravings discovered in Pusharo in the
region of Alto Madre de Dios, The engravings are over 2000 year old

The
Cathedral of Lima – Lima:

Depicting the Cathedral of
Lima ‘titled Cathedral de Lima”

Antiguo
Hotel Palace – Loreto:

Depicting the façade of
the Antiguo Hotel Palace, which is an architectural master-piece and considered
to be part of Peru’s Cultural Heritage. There is an inscription “ANTIGUO HOTEL
PALACE 1912” on the upper side

Huaca
de la Luna – La Libertad:

Depicting the God of the
Mountains, one of the major Mochica divinities depicted on the walls of the
temples of this ancient ceremonial site, which are ornamented with colourful
geometric designs

Sacred
City of Caral – Lima:

Depicting an aerial view
of the Sacred City of Caral with its circular plaza. Caral is the most ancient
city of the Americas

Archaeological
site of Tunanmarca – Junin:

Depicting a gateway to one
of the circular dwellings (chullpas) of the Citadel, as well as, part of this
Archaeological site

Paracas
textiles – Ica:

Depicting two
anthropomorphous figures used frequently in Paracas textiles

Temple
of the Crossed Hands of Kotash – Huanuco:

Depicting a section of the
Temple of the Crossed Hands of Kotosh in the background, with an expanded
detail of one of the crossed hands clay sculptures found in this temple

Inca
Temple of Huaytara – Huancavelica:

Depicting the Inca Temple
of Huaytara, built by Inca Yupanqui (Pachacutec) in the early 15th
Century. During colonial times, the Temple was converted into a Catholic
church, the San Juan Bautista Church, where mass is celebrated present day
using the niches of the Inca Temple

“Kuntur Wasi” (House of Condor) –
Cajamarca:

Depicting a monolith
representing a deity with feline features appears in the centre of this face
with the “Kuntur Wasi” Ceremonial Complex

Archaeological
Complex of Vilcashuaman – Ayacucho:

Depicting the
Archaeological Complex of Vilcashuaman, with the Templo del Sol and above it
the San Juan Bautista Church

Real
Felipe Fortress – Callao:

Depicting the King’s Tower
of the Real Philipe Fortress and a pair of cannon that are now exhibited in the
Peruvian Army Museum

The
Saywite Stone – Apurimac:

Depicting the Saywhite
Stone, a 2.5 metres high monolith with over 200 zoomorphic and phytomorphic
motifs carved in the stone in the lower part of this face, with details of the
motifs displayed above it

Citadel
of Gran Pajaten – San Martin:

Depicting one of the walls
of the Citadel of Gran Pajaten, decorated with human, geometric and bird
figures

Machu
Picchu – Cusco:

Depicting the archaeological
complex of Machu Picchu, declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983

Monasterio
de Santa Catalina – Arequipa:

Depicting the
architectural ensemble of “Monasterio de Santa Catalina” with a stone well of its
Plaza Socodober in the foreground, the front of one of the nun’s cells and a
view of the monastery church in the background

Chullpas
de Sillustani – Puno:

Depicting the tower-like
structures of Sillustani built by the Collas, an Aymara speaking tribe that
dominated the Titicaca region before the Incas. The Collas buried their dead
inside the “Chullapas” which rose to heights of 12 metres or so

Estela
de Raimondi – Ancash:

Depicting the “Estela de
Raimondi”, a reflection without parallel of the artistic style of the Chavin
Culture. The Stella, a sacred carved monolith which was once worshipped at the
ceremonial centre of Chavin de Huantar, is made of granite and is 1.98 metres
high and 74 cm wide

Kajaria
Sarcophagi – Amazonas:

Depicting one of the
“Kajaria Sarcophagi” found in the Amazon Andes on the edge of a cliff
(Archaeological Complex of Chipuric). About 2.50 metres high, the real Sarcophagi
are shaped into big anthropomorphous capsules made of clay

Tumi
de Oro – Lambayeque:

Depicting the “Tumi de
Oro”, a typical Peruvian short-bladed (semi-circular) knife with the
mythological figure of “Naylamp” (Lambayeque Culture) as the handle

On the Obverses are seen the National Coat of Arms, the inscription
“Banco Central de Reserva del Peru”
and the year of minting.

Banknotes
of Nuevo Sol:

In 1990, Banknotes
for 10, 20, 50 and 100 Nuevos Soles were issued.

In 1995, 200 Nuevos
Soles Banknotes were issued.

The
dimensions of all the Banknotes are 140 x 65 mm.

Banknotes
of 10 Nuevos Soles depicting Jose Quinones Gonzales and a Curtiss Hawk 75 A8 Airplane on
the Front and a Caproni Ca.113 flying upside down
on the Back were circulated
in 1991.

The design on theBack was changed to Machu Picchu in 2011. The colour of these Banknotes is Green.

Banknotes
of 20 Nuevos Soles depicting Raul Porras Barrenechea on the Front and the Interior
of Torre Tagle Palace, seat
of Peru’s Ministry of Foreign Relations on the Back were circulated in 1991.

The design on theBack was changed to Chan Chan/ Huaca del Dragon in
2011). The colour of these
Banknotes is Orange.

Banknotes
of 50 Nuevos Soles depicting Abraham Valdelomar on the Front and the Oasis
of Huacachina, Ica on the Back
were circulated in 1991.

The design on theBack was changed to the New Temple of Chavin de Huantar
(Huarez)in 2011). The colour
of these Banknotes is Brown.

Banknotes
of 100 Nuevos Soles depicting Jorge Basadre on the Front
and the National Library of Peru
on the Back were circulated
in 1992.

The design on theBack was changed to the Great Pajatenin 2011). The colour of these Banknotes is Blue.

Banknotes
of 100 Nuevos Soles depicting Rose of Lima on the Front
and the Convent of Santo Domingo,
Lima on the Back were
circulated in 1995.

The design on theBack was changed to the Sacred City of Caral-Supein
2011). The colour of these
Banknotes is Pink.

(Detailed
coverage/commentary on the features depicted on the Nuevos Soles Banknotes is
contained in Part III of this post)

Links to some other interesting posts on South American countries & Mexico:

About Me

I am Rajeev Prasad, a retired State Bank of India officer who had been collecting coins in a shoe box without having a serious interest. Only after quitting my job I got the time to take serious interest in developing my coin collection into a hobby. A pity, because I would have had more opportunity to lay my hands on more 'exclusive coins' while in the Bank. Anyway, as they say,better late than never. If you have any views to share with me regarding this blog , please contact me on my email rajeevprasad1208@gmail.com. I also have a twitter account @prasad_rajeev.
I had an opportunity to participate in a Documentary on the life and times of the 25 paise coin titled “Chal Basi Chavanni” (The four anna/twenty five paise coin passes away), aired by STAR NEWS on 29th and 30th June 2011. The programme helped in making many persons hold back onto their “chavannis”, the little round beauties, instead of returning them to Banks .